Important Modern & Vintage Timepieces.

Hong Kong, Oct 27, 2018

LOT 402

ATTRIBUTABLE TO FRÈRES ESQUIVILLON & DESCHOUDENS WATCH WITH ONE HOROLOGICAL COMPLICATION, TWO STRIKING JACQUEMARTS (JACKS) AND A FOUR AUTOMATA SCENE; "LE RÉMOULEUR" OR "THE KNIFE GRINDER"

HKD 160,000 - 192,000

CHF 20,000 - 24,000 / USD 20,500 - 24,000

18K pink gold, open-face, key-winding, round-shaped, pocket watch, with one horological complication and automaton scene: Quarter-repeater on two steel gongs (activated by depressing the pendant), leading the two striking Jacquemarts (jacks) and also an animated scene with four functions The chiselled scene depicting: on the left, a knife-grinder at work, his grinder-wheel turning, sharpening a knife; at the end of the striking, he gets up and observes the quality of his work; on the right, an apprentice pulls the grinder-wheel by the force of his arms;, thanks to a big pulley-wheel, that drives the grinder-wheel Cuvette (dome) decorated with a scene in vari-colour gold representing a young woman playing the lyre; this cuvette (dome) is engraved with an apocryphal signature "Jaquet Droz".


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Grading System
Grade:
Case: 3-11

Good

Slightly worn
Movement: 3*

Good

Overhaul recommended, at buyer's expense
Dial: 3-01

Good

HANDS Original

Brand Unsigned

Year Circa 1810-1815

Case No. 7 026

Caliber 21'' gilded brass, with fusee and chain, verge escapement, monometallic balance and blued steel flat hairspring

Dimensions Ø 57 mm.

Notes

Frères Esquivillon & Dechoudens Master watchmakers actives in the last quarter of the 18th century and in the early 19th century. In 1774, Gédéon-François Esquivillon became associated with his brother, Joseph Esquivillon, and Jaques Dechoudens. They are known to have signed sometimes A"Es. et Dech.". By the fact of few of them are signed, we can attribute to their Workshop a series of watches with quarter-repeater and six functions, including two striking Jacquemarts jacks and a four automata scene; watches so-called "Le Rémouleur" or "The Knife Grinder". Similar watches (with six functions, including two striking Jacquemarts jacks and a four automata scene) - Signed by Frères Esquivillon & Dechoudens, Geneva (unreferenced case number; formerly in the F. Conty Collection, Geneva) Chapuis, Alfred, and Gélis, Edouard, Le Monde des Automates, vol. 2, p. 35, ill. 297. - Signed by Frères Esquivillon & Dechoudens, Geneva (case No. 5 065) Antiquorum, Geneva, November 13, 2011, lot 196, for the amount of CHF 37 500. - Signed by Frères Esquivillon & Dechoudens, Geneva (case No. 5 292) Antiquorum, Geneva, March 27, 2011, lot 434, for the amount of CHF 104 500. - Signed by Frères Esquivillon & Dechoudens, Geneva (unreferenced case number; the ring enamel dial replace by a ring silver dial) Antiquorum, New York, May 26, 2004, lot 222, for the amount of USD 8 625. - Unsigned (case No 1 312) Antiquorum, Hong Kong, June 6, 2004, lot 342, for the amount of HKD 126 500. - Unsigned (case No. 2 366) Antiquorum, Geneva, November 13, 2011, lot 197, for the amount of CHF 45 000. - Unsigned (case No. 4 913; ring enamel dial restored) Antiquorum, Geneva, May 10, 2015, lot 260, unsold (Estimate: CHF 20 000.- / 30 000. - Unsigned (case No. 5 353) Antiquorum, Geneva, May 10, 2009, lot 119, for the amount of CHF 39 600. - Unsigned (No. 425; case No. 8 512; the ring enamel dial in poor condition) Antiquorum, Geneva, November 16, 2012, lot 308, for the amount of CHF 13 800. - Unsigned (case by Pierre-Benjamin Tavernier, Paris) Antiquorum, Geneva, November 10, 2013, lot 312, for the amount of CHF 27 500. - Unsigned (unreferenced case number; formerly in the Ruschitti Collection) Antiquorum, Geneva, October 13, 2001, lot 595, unsold (Estimate: CHF 18 000.- / 20 000. - Unsigned (case No. 7 026) The present lot.